The upcoming major strike is expected to compel the government to recognize the growing social conflict and the demand for different policies, stated Sebastião Santana, coordinator of the Frente Comum, during a press conference in Lisbon.
The union leader anticipates widespread school closures, disruptions in health and justice services, and significant worker participation across municipalities, central public administration services, cultural sectors, and monuments.
When questioned about the possibility of the government reversing its policies, Santana expressed doubt that the government would yield without a fight. He emphasized that historically, it has always been worker struggles that have toppled governments and secured labor improvements in past years.
Santana argued that workers cannot accept a State Budget that degrades working conditions and underfunds public services.
He highlighted that the health budget increase planned for 2026 falls below inflation, with more than half of the 17 billion euros budget directed to private businesses via State-funded exams, surgeries, and medications.
“With 760,000 people employed in public administration, they hold significant influence in Portuguese society. Ignoring this reflects severe myopia from the government,” he stated.
Santana affirmed that there is room in the State Budget to accommodate the Frente Comum’s demand for a 15% salary increase (at least 150 euros), given the forecasted slight budget surplus of 0.1% of GDP for 2026, provided that political priorities are adjusted.
“There is ample room if the State Budget proposal does not include 1.7 billion euros in tax breaks for companies or a 300 million euros reduction in corporate taxes. This is not a financial issue but a matter of political choice,” he claimed.
Santana noted that the budget proposal includes a 14% increase in defense spending and recently announced a 50 million euros investment in purchasing American weaponry for Ukraine.
“It implies that Portugal faces more security issues than health problems today, which is not true,” he stressed.
Despite the Socialist Party’s (PS) announcement of a “demanding abstention” regarding budget approval, Santana pointed out that PS “still has time to change its stance,” emphasizing that the political process extends beyond parliament and is influenced by social struggle.
Regarding minimum services during the strike, the Frente Comum leaders stated that the strike notices have, as usual, outlined minimum services in health, including emergency services, urgent planned surgeries, essential treatments like fertilization, and home hospitalization.
To date, about 20 entities, primarily from the health sector, have contested the defined minimum services, with the decision resting with the arbitration court.
“It is regrettable that the government overlooks essential social needs until strike days,” said Santana, adding that minimum services in health often require more workers than on a normal working day.
At the press conference, the Frente Comum criticized the labor reform package as “shameful” and described the State reform as a “flattening of public services,” beginning with the establishment of the Educational System Management Agency, which they argue will function on a business model and marks the initial phase of dismantling the public education system.
The government submitted the State Budget proposal for 2026 to the Assembly of the Republic on October 9, adhering to the initial proposal for public service salary increases as per the multi-year agreement signed in November 2024 with Fesap and the Frente Sindical.
The proposed increase for 2026 is 56.58 euros or 2.15%, rising to 60.52 euros in 2027 and 2028, extending to 2029. The current base salary for Public Administration, 878.41 euros, will increase to 934.99 euros in 2026, including progressions, promotions, and salary agreements, amounting to 1.248 billion euros in personnel expenses.
The decision to maintain the initial proposal has led the Frente Comum to proceed with the planned public service general strike on October 24, arguing that the proposed response falls significantly short of addressing workers’ continuous loss of purchasing power.
The Frente Comum represents 29 unions across all public administration sectors.
